This was a great little sampler. I hadn't heard of these books before this so I'm happy I had the chance to read a snippet of book one before committing. I'll admit there was a lot of info at once, I had to go back and read paragraphs but overall, from what I read, it sounds like a good series for sure!

Oh My God!!! This is my first anything by Stacey and I am not disappointed!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 it captures you since the first lines and it keeps you on your toes, the story is interesting and well written! Can’t wait for the rest🙌🏼!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a sample of the book Ledge. Please note I was able to read the first 25 pages and this is not a review of the entire book.

Ledge by Stacey McEwan is an atmospheric read. The world building, plot, and characters are introduced right at the beginning of the book making the reader want to continue on to the next chapter to see what is going to happen next. I enjoyed the word choices that the author used to help create the visuals for the world. I appreciated that there were not a bunch of characters introduced right at the beginning of the book making it easy to follow.

There is a very short spice scene in the sample - would recommend for a new adult or adult reader.

Tropes: New Adult Romantasy, Enemies to Lovers, High Fantasy.

I would highly recommend this book to fans of From Blood and Ash. Our MMC is a human sacrifice, that is going to be whisked away to a magical icy land with winged monsters. Sounds so good!

UPDATED 6/11/25
I finished Ledge in its entirety and have started Chasm. Ledge had a great and engaging start and some unique ideas. As expected by the obvious direction, Dawsyn Sabar is Selected and taken to Glacia kingdom. We learn a little about what has been happening to the Ledve folks who get Selected, some being enslaved and made to serve the Glacian purebloods, others having the life drained out of them. We are also introduced to the Glacian politics and social hierarchy and introduced to the idea of half breeds, a product of human and Glacian coupling. Its a great origin story that tells how the people of the Ledge got to the Ledge, where they came from and what the world knows or believes about the Ledge people and the Glacians. There were some turns I expected and some that I did not expect. I enjoyed the banter we see with Salem, Esra and Baltisse, enjoyed getting to know Ryon and even getting to know and understand Dawsyn better. The book ended on somewhat of a cliffhanger, though not as devastating as some cliffhangers I've endured. This one was almost expected and didnt draw any gasps or clutching of invisible pearls. Maybe it helped that I had Chasm queued and ready to go.

That said, while I enjoyed the book and characters, I will leave my review at 3 stars. It was good, had a couple angles I didnt expect and the rest was comfortably predictable. I like Dawsyn as a character and expect a lot from her in Chasm. Ryon peaks my curiosity but I dont entirely love him and would have preffered the cliffhanger have been permanent for true emotional impact. I can't wait to see what Dawsyn Sabar does next and watch her become the woman she is meant to be.

ORIGINAL REVIEW
Thank you to Netgalley and Angry Robot for the first two chapters of Ledge. I will provide a casual and brief review here, but as it's only two chapters, will refrain from posting reviews on my goodreads, Amazon and Instagram until I finish the entire book.

"The cold is cruel, but it is not alive ... the Ledge does not reward the meek." - Dawsyn Sabar

"The hostages who live there never leave, for the Ledge is perched against the edge of a great Chasm." - Dawsyn Sabar

"It isn't uncommon to find a famiky member here one day, gone the next." - Dawsyn Sabar

To start, I have purchased the first book on Amazon. I don't feel that it's fair to post this review elsewhere because it could end up being a 5 star read, or a 1 star read. I cannot tell from the first two chapters of Ledge but the premise is promising.

Dawsyn Sabar is a captive of the frozen blizards found on the Ledge. The last surviving member of her family, she fights for survival with an animalistic need but as the years of solitude build up, she begins to wonder if it's worth fighting or why she keeps fighting.

Also introduced is Hector, who isn't as ruthless as Dawsyn and therefore gets pushed around by other members of the Ledge. He's introduced as a potential romantic partner, but their connection seems more out of necessity than desire. Lust instead of love.

I rate the first 2 chapters 2.5 to 3 stars and offer a casual review instead of my typical Academic Stylistic reviews because I felt 2 chapters isn't enough to know whether the book will be a low star or high star. The most positive thing I can offer in the review is that I have purchased Ledge to continue the story on my own time, and when complete, shall post the review of the entire book on my socials and amazon.

I enjoyed the first two chapters of this book and the description of the book I found interesting when looking to sample this. I enjoyed the writing and the introduction to the main character, Dawsyn, but I’m not sure if this is something I’m wishing to continue reading at the moment as unsure if the plot is for me? I’m very much a mood reader so may be something I’ll look to pick up in the future.

Although I did enjoy the opening of this book I quickly lost interest in the entire thing. This was due to a few things - I felt the magic system was strange, world building was lacking and the characters were very one dimensional and not really relatable. Dawsyn was not my favourite at all. But I struggle with insta-lust/love situations. And I don't like the whole super strong female lead that shouldn't be that strong. I mean, I get overcoming odds. What I don't get is when its not simply overcoming odds but being somehow superhuman and unrealistic. But then again, it is fantasy so....maybe? I don't know.

In the end I didn't enjoy this book as much as I had hoped I would but I didn't just hate it with a passion like some books I read.

This was a solid fantasy debut! Ledge throws you into a cold, brutal world right away, and the survival element definitely kept me hooked in the beginning. Dawsyn is a strong, no-nonsense protagonist, and I liked her determination and resilience. The romance felt a little predictable, but I still enjoyed the banter and tension between her and Ryon.

The pacing slowed down a bit in the middle, but it picked back up toward the end, and that cliffhanger? Brutal. I’m definitely interested to see where the series goes next.

Overall, not a perfect book, but an entertaining and easy read for fans of enemies-to-lovers and fantasy survival stories. Would recommend to fans of ACOTAR or The Frostblood Saga.

ARC Teaser Review – and now I’m obsessed

I only got a teaser of Ledge, and it was honestly torture not having the full book. From the very first page, Stacey McEwan throws you into a brutal, frozen world where survival is a daily battle and freedom is so unattainable it's not even a distant dream. The concept is wild (and honestly reminds me of a certain real world place that is walled in); A civilization trapped on a ledge, winged monsters demanding human sacrifices, and very few resources to go around.

Dawsyn, the FMC, seems like she's going to be a total force. The writing is sharp and atmospheric, with really beautifully poetic moments. Even with just a taste, I could tell this is one of those fantasy series that’s going to live rent-free in my head for a long time. I need the rest of this book like right now.

This was such a good sample. It was only two chapters but I'm already so intrigued to see what's going to happen next. I'm invested in our main character and the stakes are high from the first page. I can't wait to pick k up the whole book to find out what happens!

Reviewing the first 2 chapters of the book Ledge
First we are introduced to the harsh world of the Ledge and its independent heroine. Our main character Dawsyn lives on the ledge on the side of a mountain alone. The ledge is a very cold place and for the villagers to survive, they have to FIGHT for basic necessities. The ledge is dominated by a winged species and our main character survived the attack. All in all , cant wait to get my hands on this book and continue the series.

This a short sample but a very compelling one.

These two chapters have a lot of world-building but it never felt like info dumping. You very quickly understand how harsh this environment is, both from the elements, the Glacians, and the people themselves. It's clearly a survival situation and you're shown that it brings out both the best and worst in people.

I found myself hooked, both by wanting to know more about the Glacians and also curiosity of what the larger world is like that these people would end up on this impossible ledge at the mercy of creatures they don't understand.

The writing is good! The story is compelling. I would absolutely have kept reading if I had the full book.

It might be because it was published in 2021, or because I may not the biggest fantasy reader, but I hadn't heard about this book before coming across this sample. And surprisingly, it made me interested in the concept and the story itself.

✨ ARC Review ✨
Rate: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Just wrapped up this ARC and I have some thoughts! It had its moments, and there’s definitely more to unpack. Stay tuned for my full review coming soon!

The first two chapters have me hooked! I can’t wait to see what happened next! I’ll definitely be grabbing a copy of this book.

Everyone in my book group is talking about this book and I see why. It gripped me right from the beginning I couldn't put it down

I just read the first two chapters of Ledge and I’m intrigued. The world is brutal and mysterious, with winged creatures that select people for unknown fates. The writing is descriptive and immersive, and Stacey, the main character, seems like a total force.

The pacing slows a bit in chapter two, but the tension and mystery kept me hooked. I have so many questions about the Ledge, the selection, and what comes next. Definitely planning to read the full book!

Having access to an exclusive sampler of Ledge by Stacey McEwan gave me the chance to dive into the first two chapters and I’m already intrigued. It’s always tricky to form a full opinion from just twenty-five pages, but so far, I’m intrigued! I’ve been in a dystopian mood lately, so the timing is perfect. I’m definitely going to have to grab a copy so I can see where the story goes!

Sending through the first two chapters is certainly a good way to gauge interest and I applaud the author for doing that.

There were moments when the writing made me pause, trying to figure out what they were trying to say. However, my number 1 question is… Why?

What is this Ledge?

Why were the people hearded there?

Who are the winged creatures who drop supplies?

What happens after the selection?

And for that reason, I need to read the rest of the book.

#ExclusiveSamplerofLedge #NetGalley

I’ve read a lot of worlds full of fire lately—this frozen sampler was a brisk wind of fresh air.

This world is exceptionally brutal. Even in just two chapters, I have such a visceral sense of the Ledge and its occupants. Dawsyn is an intriguing FMC and I’m curious to see her worldview widen in this journey.

Also, the opening chapter gave serious Hunger Games vibes, in a fantastic, nostalgic way.

Have already downloaded to continue this one! Excited to see what happens next.

This little two chapter snippet of Ledge was great! There was just enough background on the main character and the world-building that left me wanting more. Dawsyn, the sole surviving member of the Sabar household, already seems like a force to be reckoned with. She's fiercely protective of what she has and also incredibly caring and loyal to her friend Hector. This was my first look at Stacey McEwan's writing style and I enjoyed it.

*Thank you to Netgalley, Angry Robot, and the author, Stacey McEwan, for this exclusive sampler! Opinions expressed are solely my own.